Vestas closed the UK's only wind turbine blade factories, on the Isle of Wight, in August 2009. Workers occupied the factory, then picketed. This blog is a history of that dispute and of the ongoing campaign for green jobs.

Crow challenges Mandelson

RMT REACTION TO PETER MANDELSON STATEMENT ON £150 MILLION INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said today:
“Tomorrow a court will hear an application to evict protesters from the Vestas wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight who are fighting to save 625 skilled manufacturing jobs in renewable energy. Compare that to the rhetoric of Business Secretary Lord Mandelson who said today that our manufacturing base is at the heart of Britain’s knowledge economy.
“There’s a yawning chasm between the government’s statements on green jobs, energy and manufacturing and the brutal reality of the 625 Vestas workers on the Isle of Wight who are fighting back against a company who will dump them on the scrap heap on Friday of we don’t stop them.
“RMT challenges Lord Mandelson to visit the Vestas workers in occupation of their factory on the Isle of Wight and explain to them why their futures, and the futures of the wind turbine manufacturing in the UK, are on the line. If the Government can spend £1.4 trillion bailing out and nationalising the banks then there’s no reason why they can’t intervene and nationalise Vestas.”

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What we're fighting for

Vestas Blades UK made production workers at their factories on the Isle of Wight redundant on 12 August 2009. More than 500 jobs were lost. Many more jobs that depend on Vestas will follow. This makes no sense from a green or a labour perspective!

At the same time, the government announced a major expansion of renewable energy including wind power. We are calling on the government to intervene to save jobs at companies like Vestas - through nationalisation if that is what it takes - to show that it is serious about saving the planet.

Actions & meetings

Wednesday 17 February

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT 7pm, Save Our Services public meeting, called by Unison, but open to all who want to campaign against the proposed cuts to council and all jobs and services. Venue: Hunnyhill Room, The Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight.